NHL Draft: Worst 1st-round pick in franchise history: Ottawa Senators, Alexandre Daigle 1993 NHL Draft
Nobody remembers number two. Those famous words came out of the mouth of Alexandre Daigle at the 1993 NHL Draft. It was delivered with the same energy as a dad wondering if his joke was funny but saying it anyway. Daigle was trying to exude the confidence of a first-overall pick. Irony has a way to always find its way into the hockey world.
Daigle was really good right off the bat. He scored 51 points in his rookie season and looked like he was worth the hype of the first-overall selection. That would end up being tied for his career-high in points. Daigle had a long NHL career, but it was mostly because teams kept giving him chances because of his pedigree.
There are two reasons this is the worst draft pick in Senators history. One, the Quebec Nordiques reportedly gave them a Godfather offer for Daigle which included Peter Forsberg, Owen Nolan, Ron Hextall, and more draft picks to get the Quebec resident in the fold. That’s a monster deal that might have changed the future for two franchises. The Senators might have been able to put together a different trajectory if they made that trade.
The other reason is who went number two. The irony of Daigle saying nobody remembers number two and number two being Chris Pronger, a player that was not only really good, but one who hit so hard most players didn’t forget it. Pronger made the Hockey Hall of Fame, won a Stanley Cup and multiple gold medals, played 1,167 games, and scored just under 700 points. Daigle ended up playing 616 games with 327 points, but this was still such a disappointment for the Senators who needed a superstar and got a lot of hype with too many headaches.